Peat

Organic soil or deposit. Peat formation occurs, when decomposition is slow due to anaerobic conditions. The sites where peat forms are fens or bogs. Main peatforming plant in bogs is sphagnum.

Largest peat occurences in Canada and Russia. In Canada, peat is mined for horticultural use. They destroy precious wetlands that took +/- 10000 years to develop to grow flowers in the frontyard. If you use peat for your garden and like to keep some biodiversity on this planet, use compost instead. In some countries, like Finland and Ireland, peat is mined to be used as fuel.

A substance of vegetable origin, consisting of roots and fibers, moss, etc., in various stages of decomposition, and found, as a kind of turf or bog, usually in low situations, where it is always more or less saturated with water. It is often dried and used for fuel.

Peat bog, a bog containing peat; also, peat as it occurs in such places; peat moss. -- Peat moss. (a) The plants which, when decomposed, become peat. (b) A fen producing peat. (c) Bot. Moss of the genus Sphagnum, which often grows abundantly in boggy or peaty places. -- Peat reek, the reek or smoke of peat; hence, also, the peculiar flavor given to whisky by being distilled with peat as fuel. [Scot.]